Nope! But parents know that Santa will always find a way to sneak those into the kiddos stockings to help fill up the toes. Amirite?!

Well, for the presents that the kids actually want, make sure you hit up Kaboodles Toy Store. With four locations throughout Metro Vancouver and and Victoria, you’ll be able to get the wee people in your life something that their little hearts desire!

Just in time for Christmas, Kaboodles Toy Store has given Raincity Patent a $100 Gift Card to giveaway to one lucky reader! Contest is open to individuals aged 19+ and the winner must be able to pick up their prize from any of the store locations in Vancouver or Victoria. Please enter via the Rafflecopter link below.

Ho, ho, hold on tight! This Christmas season, come down to FlyOver Canada to fly with Santa and his elves on a magical flight across Canada and on to the North Pole. After meeting some of Santa’s elves, Chestnut and Pinecone, you’ll join them as they take flight across Canada looking for their fellow elves. You may even get a sneak peek of Santa’s Workshop as you soar over the North Pole.

Please note, this combo is exclusively sold online and is not offered in different price points. The combo passes will be sold until December 24th or while quantities last. The Vancouver Christmas Market passes are redeemable until December 24, 2017.

Largest Festivities to date at Expansive Seaside Site with More Than 55,000 Square Feet of German Jubilation

Vancouver, BC – The city’s signature yuletide celebration returns to its expansive seaside home, November 22–December 24, 2017 at Jack Poole Plaza (at the Olympic Cauldron) offering its largest, festivities to date. The treasured holiday tradition will feature more than 75 huts stuffed with sweets, treats and treasures, coupled with a multitude of festive family activities and live entertainment. Attracting a record number of more than 215,000 visitors last season, the Vancouver Christmas Market is one of the city’s cherished holiday experiences.

“We are delighted to return to Jack Poole Plaza again this season, warmly welcoming new and returning visitors to partake in our wide array of Christmas festivities, while discovering a number of exciting new activities and expanded highlights,” said Malte Kluetz, Founder and President of the Vancouver Christmas Market. “Whether shopping the market for that special, one-of-kind gift or indulging in the mouth-watering array of German delicacies, we look forward to seeing new and familiar faces during the most wonderful time of the year!”

Among this year’s expanded highlights will be Canada’s first-ever Walk-In Christmas Tree: a 30ft tall tree covered with 36,000 twinkling lights that guests can enter to experience a spectacular – and Instagram-worthy light display. The Christmas Pyramid also returns, but this year it will be taller than ever with the addition of a brand new‘Flying Stage’ perched 10ft high above the market. The Flying Stage will host a lively line-up of daily festive entertainment. The entertainment line-up is stacked with a wide range of musical talent performing a steady stream of seasonal favourites that span every genre – from jazz, blues, folk, pop, classical, and gospel.

Visitors will undoubtedly treat themselves to the market’s signature array of mouth-watering delectables, including Glühwein (a hot-spiced mulled wine), Bratwurst, Gulasch, Spätzle, Schnitzel, Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), Strudels, and so much more. A variety of new local vendors will be offering the best food and drink BC has to offer including fresh sustainable seafood from Eat F.I.S.H., made-from-scratch Sicilian cannoli by the Cannoli King, award-winning German style wine from Wild Goose Winery, and organic beer made from local ingredients by Persephone Brewing Co.

In addition to Deutschland delicacies, rousing entertainment, and returning favourites – such as downtown Vancouver’s only Christmas Carousel and the warming Alpine Haus tent – visitors can wander throughout the market’s quaint pathways of huts, discovering lovingly crafted gifts and treasures that cry out to be slipped into stockings and placed under Christmas trees.

The Vancouver Christmas Market and Children’s Wish Foundation have partnered for the 2017 season in order to raise funds to grant the most heartfelt wishes of BC children diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. During the market’s ‘Children’s Wish Week’, from December 16 to 24, Children’s Wish will be collecting donations and selling ‘wish wands’ at booths throughout the market. Their mascot ‘Roary’ the lion and representatives from Children’s Wish will be onsite December 16 and 17 to help bring the magic of a wish to the Vancouver Christmas Market. Those who generously make a donation at the ticket booths will receive a complimentary Season Pass to the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Since 2010, the Vancouver Christmas Market has delighted Vancouverites and visitors to the city with authentic German-inspired festivities. Combining colourful décor, authentic gifts, savoury food & drink, and family entertainment, the yuletide celebration creates the perfect atmosphere to mix & mingle with friends & family, take in a quick drink after work, and observe a wide variety of cultural activities, old world confections, and seasonal entertainment.

LISTING INFORMATION

8th Annual Vancouver Christmas Market

Dates:

November 22 to December 24, 2017: 11am – 9pmDecember 24: Closed at 6pm

Santa’s elves are already hard at work transforming Stanley Park into a captivating and dazzling lighting display complete with music, sweet snacks, entertainment and, of course, Santa Claus himself. “It’s sure to delight kids, both young and old,” chuckles Ray Boucher, Burn Fund Vice-President and Co-Chair of the Bright Nights Committee. When asked how he and his team were able to manage the sheer volume of light display enthusiasts, Ray replied, “We want to make certain that everyone is able to enjoy this magical event, and since we’ve seen such an overwhelming show of visitors in past years, we’re excited to be extending the event this year by staying open until January 6th, this way we hope that everyone will get the chance to come down to the park, with their family and friends and help us celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bright Nights!.”

“This anniversary event celebrates the partnership between the Park Board and the Burn Fund who have worked together for 20 years to create the Bright Nights experience. We could not put on this event without the support of all our community
partners, who help bring the park to life for all to enjoy”, said Vancouver Park Board Chair, Michael Wiebe. Over 250,000 visitors attend the event annually and that number is growing. “We are exceptionally pleased with the support from the public
and our Sponsors. Over 800 fire fighters contribute more than 8,000 hours over the 3 month period of Set-Up, Operations and Tear Down. It’s a monumental undertaking of combined efforts to make this event so successful,” says Ray Boucher. “The funds
raised will make a huge difference to burn survivors and their families throughout our province.”

The monies raised through donations in the front gate bins go directly to the Burn Fund, which provides life-saving, life supporting and life enriching services to people across BC. More than 4,000 professional fire fighters around the province dedicate their time and skills to support burn survivors. They increase the public’s knowledge about fire and burn safety through Burn Awareness, Research and Prevention programs.

Vancouver Christmas Market will be hosting a Dry New Year’s Family Celebration on Saturday, December 31, 2016 from 11am-9pm at Jack Poole Plaza. This family-focused, dry event will offer a host a children’s entertainment, live music, food and gift vendors to ring in the New Year as a family.

This is the perfect event for the young and young at heart to embark on some holiday family fun. Mom and Dad will find it hard to keep up as little ones enjoy the following delightful activities:
Visit the Photo Hut for a family photo op.

Take a spin on the carousel!

Keep dry and warm up in the heated Alpine Haus.

Listen to live music from Des Larson, Paul Filek, and BANG.

Receive FREE kids glitter tattoos. Choose from fun designs that celebrate the New Year, German-style: A ladybug, a little pig, fireworks, and more!

Enjoy FREE kids balloon twisting.

Receive a FREE kids caricature: Get a funny artwork souvenir as we head into the New Year.

Please note that Vancouver Christmas Market is not an official viewing area for the 2016 New Year’s Eve fireworks. For detailed information about viewing zones, please visit: nyevan.com

{{The Giveaway!}}

I’ve got a Family 4pk of passes to giveaway to this New Year’s Eve event for one lucky Raincity Parent reader! This giveaway is open to residents of the Greater Vancouver Area and the Sea to Sky Corridor, 18 years and over only! Please enter via the Rafflecopter link below.

The most magical time of the year is here, and for many families worldwide, the Christmas holiday wouldn’t be complete without personalized video messages from Santa to the kids and kids-at-heart by Portable North Pole (PNP).

The No 1 mobile Santa app is considered a cherished, modern tradition with more than 125 million videos viewed worldwide. PNP lets you create and send adorable videos and calls online or with the free mobile app. New this year – a special Reaction Recorder (mobile app only) that lets you capture the moment of joy and surprise when Santa Claus reveals whether your child is on his “naughty” or “nice” list – creating a cherished keepsake for parents.

It only takes a few minutes to craft a magical video from Santa that your child, friends and family members will remember forever. Simply visit the PortableNorthPole.com web site or download the mobile app for iOS and Android. Create a video by entering details such as name, age and the gift your loved one is hoping for, and upload favorite pictures.

The end result is a richly visual, cinematic video where the iconic Santa Claus himself addresses your child, friends and family members directly from his fairy-tale home in the North Pole. In addition to the Reaction Recorder, the mobile app also offers fun extras for littles, including holiday games to play, like shaking ornaments off a tree, and having Santa’s elves repeat what you say back to you in their endearing voices.

PNP offers free videos for everyone, with the option to upgrade to a premium package, including the Video Pass (PLACEHOLDER ADD WEB PRICE) or Magic Pass (PLACEHOLDER ADD WEB PRICE). Both packages provide enchanting premium video storylines to choose from, with each offering five or more minutes of footage featuring several adorable experiences to watch, such as visiting with the elves as they work on your Big Book or see them in busy with the reindeer on Christmas Eve, as well as the Reaction Recorder (mobile app only). They also let you create an unlimited number of premium videos, and come with a special “Santa’s Coming” video to watch on Christmas Eve and birthday messages. The Magic Pass also includes 20 wonderful holiday messages from Santa that kids can listen to on the phone, and
four story time videos read by Santa himself, that are made available each week leading up to
Christmas.

To help spread a little extra cheer to those who may need it the most, PNP donates five percent
of all online sales proceeds to more than 40 children’s hospitals around the world. More than $300,000 has been donated on behalf of PNP’s fans since 2012.

PNP can be enjoyed in 180 countries and in six different languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

More than 15 acres of the Garden will be decorated with one million lights. The event includes the Dancing Lights show on Livingstone Lake, roving Scandinavian gnomes, music, tasty treats and drinks, Santa, and new this year, a holiday carousel. A ride on the carousel is included in every event admission.

Garden visitors can also experience the romance of Paris right here in Vancouver! Stop by the Eiffel Tower to take a selfie under the dazzling lights and share on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #JardinsDeParis for a chance to win two economy tickets to Paris, courtesy of Air France and YVR.

There is also a photo contest this year. Visitors can use #VanDusenFOL and post event photos on Twitter or Instagram for a chance to win prizes, including a one-year membership to VanDusen Garden.

Share to win!

Tag #VanDusenFOL for your chance to win one of 4 great prizes including:

A 1 year membership to VanDusen Botanical Garden

Afternoon Tea for Two at Truffles Café

$100 gift certificate to Shaughnessy Restaurant

VanDusen Festival of Lights Toque FOL runs nightly between December 1 and January 2 and is closed December 25. More information can be found at vancouver.ca/VanDusenFOL.

VanDusen Botanical Garden, located in the heart of Vancouver, spans across 55 acres with more than 7,500 unique species and varieties of plants arranged in 50 distinct collections. The Garden is jointly operated by the Vancouver Park Board and Vancouver Botanical Garden Association.

{{The Giveaway}}

I’ve got a Family Pass (2 Adults, 2 Kiddos) to give away to one lucky Raincity Parent reader! This giveaway is open to residents of the Greater Vancouver Area, Fraser Valley and Sea to Sky Corridor, 18 years and over. Please enter via the Rafflecopter link below.